Conservation, Reclamation & Native Seed

High-Quality Native Seed & Low-Input Seed

Native plants are those that naturally occur in a given habitat. A species that is native to one area of the world may not be native to another. However, native plants are generally well adapted to their particular environment and are more likely to thrive there. Once established, native plants provide an ecologically appropriate and environmentally sound habitat.

Outstanding overall turfgrass quality, Fairmont is performing at or near the top in national fine fescue trials. Featuring excellent drought tolerance, improved wear tolerance and improved recovery, Fairmont is well-suited for a wide range of applications. Use in low-input lawn and roughs mixtures, with bentgrass for tees and fairways, and as a nurse in naturalized no-mow areas.

Alkalaigrass is native of the Western North American prairies, and has many applications in turf, reclamation and native and naturalized sites where saline conditions occur. Water levels in aquifers are dropping in some parts of the country, and saline water intrusion has become a problem. Fults Alkalaigrass, Puccinellia distans, is a cool-season bunch grass with 5 times the salt tolerance of Kentucky Bluegrass. Fults looks like fine fescue but differs as it persists in sunny locations and is not competitive in shade. It is a low maintenance grass that requires minimal fertility and can tolerate a range of mowing heights and mowing frequency. Moisture requirements of Fults is as little as 1/5" annually, however it also thrives in moist conditions.

MINIMUS offers several options on the golf course and in general, natural low maintenance turf areas. It thrives in low maintenance management and is ideal for meadows, parks and secondary roughs, as well as n areas where turf transitions to natural areas or into shade.

Sherman Big Bluegrass is a long-lived, cool-season bunch grass that was originally selected from a native range site in Sherman County Oregon. A low-input species that requires as little as 11” of annual rainfall. Sherman Big Blue is valuable in soil stabilization, forage-rangeland seedings and dryland hay production, mine reclamation, and provides critical upland wildlife food and habitat.

Now Professional Turf managers can add genetic diversity with a high-performance Texas Bluegrass x Kentucky Bluegrass cross! Expanding the area of adaptation for bluegrasses, TX x KBG types have been successful farther south than traditional Kentucky bluegrasses, and are adding heat tolerance and summer performance to northern zone turf. SPF 30 produces a high percentage of living ground cover throughout the summer, recovers quickly from drought, and is resistant to brown patch. With its aggressive rhizomes, SPF 30 improves the ability of tall fescue turf to recover when combined in a mixture. SPF 30 is an elite and medium-bladed bluegrass for landscape contractors, sports turf managers, and golf course superintendents who are battling the stress of summer heat. SPF 30 (HB 128) is a sister to HB 129 TX x KBG.

An annual, cool-season, introduced cover grass. A non-reseeding cross between wheat and cereal rye makes Quick Guard especially attractive as a nurse for native seedings and on erodible sites. Well-adapted to a wide range of soil varieties. Used for reclamation and stabilization of disturbed areas. Adapted all across the United States.

Seeds/Pound (approximate): 20,000

Sword Hard Fescue

Sword has many low input applications on golf courses, roadsides, parks and lawns. It thrives in low input management programs where little or no nitrogen is applied and mowing and irrigation is limited or restricted. National trials in multiple locations show Sword excels under Nitrogen rates of 0-1 Lb/1000 sq. ft. / year. Higher rates result in declining performance.

A perennial herb with rhizomes that grows up to 48” tall. Found at low to mid elevations in marshes, transient wet spots, pond margins and backwater areas. Distributed from the West Coast of the US east to Minnesota and south to Louisiana.

Seeds/Pound (approximate): 160,000 Seeding Rate (Pounds/Acre): 8

Mature Height: 36+" Growth Habit: Sod

Alkaligrass

Perennial, vigorous root system, fine-textured. Withstands flooding. Valuable erosion control species for its saline tolerance. Utilized in areas of saline water conditions and road salt. A perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass standing 12" to 18” tall. It grows on a wide range of soils and can tolerate high amounts of salinity. This species is an excellent choice in reclamation, roadside stabilization or on saline sites requiring turf.

A perennial, cold-tolerant, native short grass that is traditionally a bunch grass, but can exhibit some sod-forming capability. Grows 6" to 24” in height and is commonly found in mountain meadows, bogs and wet places. Also grows on relatively well-drained soils and grassy slopes. It is added to seed mixtures to revegetate livestock and big game ranges as well as protect roads, ski slopes and mined lands. Occurring in the cooler and higher regions of the Western United States.

A perennial, cool-season, introduced bunch grass that grows 24" to 48” tall. It develops short rhizomes and is generally drought tolerant and winter hardy. It has adapted to the loam and clay-loam soils of the prairies and is often used in pasture grass. Although the growth of Altai Wildrye is coarse, cattle and sheep ﬁnd it very palatable. Found in the Intermountain Region and Northern Great Plains of the Western United States.

A long-lived, perennial, cool-season, native, densely tufted bunch grass growing 12" to 36” tall. Found on shallow clay loam to loam and sandy to gravelly soils. A heavy root system is an excellent soil binder. Suited for revegetating and stabilizing disturbed soils, road, ski slopes and construction in the mountains. Moderately palatable, it can be used for forage and range land restoration. Native to the Ponderosa Pine zone from Colorado south to West Texas, Mexico and Nevada.

A cool-season sod-forming perennial that grows 40” tall. Found along streams, around lakes and ponds, wet meadows, swamps, from sea level to the mountains. Distributed across northern parts of the US.

Seeds/Pound (approximate): 440,000 Seeding Rate (Pounds/Acre): 1-2

Mature Height: 13-36+" Growth Habit: Sod

Beardless Bluebunch Wheatgrass

A perennial, cool-season, native, erect bunch grass, 12" to 30” tall, often with short rhizomes. It has a wide spectrum of adaptations. It is found on all aspects on mountain slopes, benches, basins, alluvial fans, and in valley bottoms. Adapted to a wide variety of soils, but is found mostly in well-drained, medium to coarse textured soils, which vary in depth from shallow to very deep.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass growing 24" to 48” high. It is a tall, tufted grass that is remarkably drought resistant. Known for high production of palatable forage making it a very valuable range grass. Big Bluegrass is the largest of the native bluegrasses found in the Intermountain zone of the Northwest United States.

A large perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass growing up to 5’ in height. It is similar in stature and growth habit to slender wheatgrass. Blue Wildrye is good for streambank restoration, meadow and swale seeding. It is also excellent for reseeding burned or disturbed areas in oak woodland or forest. Found from California to Alaska and into the Great Plains and Northern Mexico.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass that grows 18" to 48” tall with strong rhizomes. It is very drought resistant, persistent and adapted to stabilization of disturbed soils. This nutritious grass is used for hay production, but is better suited and more palatable when used for grazing. Most common to the Northern Great Plains and the Intermountain regions of the Western United States.

A perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass growing between 4" to 25” tall. Sometimes called “bristlegrass” and is considered to be one of the most ﬁre-resistant native bunch grasses. It is considered to be fair to desirable forage for cattle, horses and sheep. Commonly found throughout the Rocky Mountain region and West.

A short-lived perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass that grows to 48”. It is moderately drought tolerant and winter-hardy, and has good tolerance to salinity and shade. Found on sandy shores and dunes, wooded areas, especially along trails, rivers and streams, and other disturbed sites. Canada Wildrye is found throughout the Northeast, North and Western United States.

A perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass that grows 8" to 16” tall. Canby Bluegrass is vigorous, long-leaved, late maturing, and more productive than other Bluegrasses. Used as low maintenance turf and forest roads in Northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. Common to the Western U.S., Rocky Mountain, and Northern Great Plains region.

The hardiest of cereals, rye can be seeded later in fall than other cover crops and still provide considerable dry matter, an extensive soil-holding root system, significant reduction of nitrate leaching and exceptional weed suppression. Rye is the best cool-season cereal cover for absorbing unused soil N.

A perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass that grows 6" to 24” tall, without rhizomes. Growth starts in mid-spring, matures by September, reproduces from seeds and tillers and may regrow in the fall if moisture is adequate. Provides good forage for livestock and wildlife, however, injury can occur from the sharp-pointed callus, working into the ears, eyes, nostrils and tongues of grazing animals. Also used for rangelands and reclamation, it is commonly found across the Western US from Canada to Mexico.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, introduced sod-forming, grass that grows 12" to 24” tall. It is extremely winter-hardy and recovers quickly from grazing due to its numerous aggressive underground rhizomes. Creeping Meadow Foxtail is palatable to all classes of livestock. Most commonly utilized throughout the Paciﬁc Northwest, Intermountain West, Northern Great Plain States and Western Canada.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, introduced bunch type reaching 12" to 36” tall. Drought-tolerant and winter-hardy grass with a deep-rooted system making an excellent soil binder. Crested Wheatgrass is commonly recommended for a palatable forage production. Crested Wheatgrass is well-adapted to stabilization of disturbed soils and does well on shallow to deep, moderately coarse to ﬁne-textured, moderately well to well-drained soils. The grass is commonly seeded in the arid sections of the Western United States. The Fairway type was ﬁrst recognized in 1950 as being diﬀerent than other crested types. Fairway is shorter, denser, ﬁner-stemmed and less productive than Desert Wheatgrass at lower elevations and may exceed Desert Wheatgrass production at higher elevations. Newer varieties such as Eparaim and Roadcrest exhibit strong rhizome activity.

A short-lived perennial, cool-season, introduced bunch grass that grows 12" to 60” tall. Dahurian Wildrye has a deep root system allowing good drought tolerance, preferring well drained fertile soils. It germinates quickly and regrows aggressively after cutting and grazing, thus providing excellent palatable forage and making it common in pasture mixes. Located in the Northeast, Midwest and Northwestern United States.

A perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass that grows at least 24” tall. It grows well in rocky, dry or sandy areas of the desert making it very drought tolerant. Primary use is for revegetation or landscape. Found across the Southwest desert of the US and used in restoration seedings in the more arid portions of the Great Basin.

A short-lived, perennial, cool-season, introduced bunch grass. Derived from a cross between Italian Ryegrass and Meadow Fescue. Its ease of establishment and management, drought resistance, rapid regrowth and good disease resistance are combined with season long productivity and high forage palatability.

A perennial herb with thickened rootstocks that grows 8" to 36” tall. Found on wet ditches, ravines, prairie swales and the edges of marshes, springs, lakes and ponds. Distributed across the entire US with the exception of the desert Southwest.

A perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass 12" to 36” tall. Although it will grow anywhere, it prefers silt loam or sandy loam soils. Idaho Fescue has excellent cold tolerance, moderate drought tolerance, moderate shade tolerance, and has adapted to stabilization of disturbed soils. It is one of the most common and widely distributed grasses in the Western United States.

A short to medium lived perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass growing 8" to 30” tall. It is very winter hardy, has a broad climatic adaptation and prefers dry and primarily loamy-sandy-gravelly sites. Indian Ricegrass is highly palatable to livestock and wildlife. One of its greatest assets is stabilizing sites susceptible to wind erosion. Indian Ricegrass is generally found in the plains, foothills, mountains, and intermountain basins of the Western United States.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, introduced grass growing 36" to 48” tall. It has short rhizomes and a deep-feeding root system, preferring well-drained loamy to clayey textured soils. Intermediate Wheatgrass will tolerate slightly acidic to mildly saline conditions, can withstand moderate periodic ﬂooding in the spring, and is very tolerant of ﬁre. It has good palatability to livestock and wildlife and adapts well to the stabilization of disturbed soils.

Japanese millet grows 2 to 4 feet tall. Taller and coarser than other foxtail millets, it matures quickly and thus its forage yield is much less than that of pearl millet. Japanese millet is also planted for wildlife feed and for temporary soil stabilization on construction sites.

A perennial, cool-season, introduced sod-forming grass 18" to 24” tall. It is a darker green foliage, longer leaves, and pubescence at the bases of the leaves. In the West, it is very abundant and frequently used for hay and forage for sheep and cattle. In the East, it is planted as a pasture grass, but not usually used for hay.

A perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass with mostly glabrous stems that are 6" to 24” tall. Provides valuable forage for many species of wildlife and domestic livestock. Excellent reclamation grass for upper elevation regions. Found across the Western United States.

A perennial, cool-season, native sod-forming grass that grows 24" to 48” tall. Used for stabilizing inland sand dunes, mine tailings and permanent cover on shallow to deep sands. Moderately tolerant of saline and saline sodic soils. It has poor palatability due to its coarse leaves, but it has been grazed in drought situations. Adapted to the Paciﬁc Northwest and Intermountain Region.

A short-lived perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass that grows 12" to 14” tall. Establishes rapidly and is a good cover crop in orchards and vineyards. Tolerates drought as well as infertile, alkaline, compacted soil. Meadow Barley is especially useful in reclamation and erosion control. Common in the Western States and some of the North Eastern States.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, introduced grass that spreads by short rhizomes. Reaching 2 to 6 feet in height when irrigated. Its primary use is for rotational forage production and is highly palatable to all classes of livestock and wildlife. Meadow Brome is very winter hardy. It performs best on fertile, moderately deep to deep, well-drained soils. Used in cool, moist climates across the Northern United States.

A short-lived perennial, cool-season, introduced bunch grass that grows 6" to 12” tall. It is slow to establish but is very palatable and highly productive. Commonly found on cool and moist sites across the Paciﬁc Northwest and Northern United States.

Less aggressive than Smooth Brome. A short-lived, perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass growing 3 to 4 feet tall. Prefers deep, fertile, mesic soils of medium to ﬁne textures, but also survives on thin, dry or coarse soils, resulting in lower production levels. It is winter hardy and has good shade tolerance and fair tolerance to ﬁre. Well-adapted to the Northwestern regions, the foothills and mountains of the Intermountain West and some Midwestern States.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass that usually grows 12" to 24” tall. Leaves are 2" to 12” long, growing largely from the base of the plant, which has clusters of small, silvery-pink ﬂowers. It is closely related to Cusick’s Bluegrass. This is a common grass of open woodland and forested areas and commonly used for grazing. Grown on a wide range of elevation and ranges on the Western part of the United States.

A cool-season perennial with numerous rhizomes that grows 10" to 30” tall. Found on swamps, wet streambanks and wet swales throughout the Intermountain Region and Paciﬁc Northwest.

Seeds/Pound (approximate): 525,000 Seeding Rate (Pounds/Acre): 1-2

Mature Height: 24-36" Growth Habit: Sod

Needle and Thread

A perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass growing 12" to 36” tall. It is without rhizomes, erect to ascending growing, and its seed has a sharp attachment point with beards near the point. Very drought tolerant, it has adapted to excessively drained, sandy or gravelly soils and also to shallow or deep sandy loam, ﬁne sandy loam, or even clays that are shallow to deep. It is widely distributed throughout the Western United States.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, introduced, sod-forming grass that grows 12" to 24” tall. It's a cross between quackgrass and Bluebunch Wheastgrass making it both aggressive and productive. Will recover quickly after grazing. Used on both irrigated and dryland sites throughout the Western United States.

The oat plant is an annual grass with kinds and varieties adapted either to fall planting and midsummer harvest or spring planting and late summer harvest. Most oats are used for livestock feed in this country either as grain, pasture, hay or silage. Less than 5% of the total oat production in this country is used as food for human consumption. The human consumption is mainly in the form of breakfast foods and oat ﬂour.

Oracle Creeping Red Fescue is a popular choice to use in blends and mixtures with other species, when formulating for increased shade tolerance. Oracle is also adapted for use in blends and mixtures targeted towards sandy and other well drained soils, low input turf, and erosion mixtures.

A persistent perennial, cool-season, introduced bunch grass, forming distinct ﬂowering clumps 24" to 48” tall. It is one of the earliest species to grow in the spring, making tremendous growth during cool conditions. It performs well on diﬀerent textured soils ranging from clay to gravelly loams and on shallow to deep soils. The primary use of Orchardgrass is for forage production and is highly palatable to all livestock.

A perennial, cool-season, introduced bunch grass growing to a height of 18" to 36”. Perennial Ryegrass is one of the most widely used grasses and is adaptable to a wide variety of soils and climatic conditions. With a leafy head and ﬁne stem, it is considered very palatable, used for both forage and hay. A proven performer in pastures in the northern area of the United States.

A perennial, cool-season, native bunch grass that grows 12" to 30” tall. Persists in open woodlands and ponderosa pine at higher elevations. Use for revegetating rangeland, mine sites and other disturbed sites. Commonly found across southern Canada to Texas, California and Washington.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, introduced sod-forming grass 36" to 48”. The grass has basal-type leaves and spreads by rhizomes. Its strongest asset is its ability to stay green into the summer months when soil moisture is adequate. It has adapted to a wide range of conditions, including low-fertility soils and is saline soil tolerant, making it drought and winter tolerant. Pubescent Wheatgrass yields high-quality hay and pasture grass.

A perennial, cool-season, introduced sod-forming grass growing to 30" or 40” tall. A coarse but fairly dense turf that has slender stems. It will grow under a wide variety of soil and moisture conditions, is drought resistant and also grows well on poorly drained soils. Redtop is used for erosion control, pastures, temporary grass in turf seedings and occasionally for hay. It is distributed throughout most of the United States.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, introduced sod-forming grass reaching a height of 6 to 8 feet. The extensive, rhizomatous root system protects it from drought, but is also suited to wet soils and dense growth of coarse erect stems, providing excellent erosion control, especially along stream banks, shorelines and waterways. It can be found throughout the West, North and Northeastern United States.

An annual, cool-season, introduced cover grass. A sterile, non-reseeding cross between wheat and Tall Wheatgrass. Well adapted to a wide range of soil varieties. Used for reclamation and stabilization of disturbed areas. Adapted all across the United States.

A perennial, cool-season, introduced grass that spreads by stolons and forms dense, thick patches. The leaf blades are upright at ﬁrst, but tend to lay down and mat as the patches become older. It is capable of withstanding a considerable amount of shade if suﬃcient moisture is present. Rough Bluegrass is primarliy used in turf and is a nusiance in many areas.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, native bluegrass reaching 24" to 48” in height. It thrives on a variety of soils from moderately coarse sands to ﬁne clays. Sandberg Bluegrass is distributed throughout the Western United States.

With outstanding overall turfgrass quality, Shadow II was rated the number one fine leaf fescue in both the 1993-97 and 1999-2002 NTEP fine leaf fescue trials. Featuring excellent drought tolerance and recovery, Shadow II is an outstanding choice for both fine and low-maintenance turf. An ideal component for all mixes.

Sheep Fescue

A perennial, cool-season, introduced bunch grass that grows 12" to 24” tall. Well adapted to most soil conditions and can be used for erosion control and low maintenance mixtures. Found across the entire United States.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, introduced bunch grass. Similar to Desert Wheatgrass, Siberian is more drought tolerant and retains its greenness and palatability later into the summer than standard, fairway or even the hybrid cross types.

A short-lived perennial, cool-season, native, tufted bunch grass ranging in height from 24" to 30”. It has very short rhizomes, which prefer loams and sandy loams. It is a relative species to the mountain and intermountain areas of the Western United States and the Northern Great Plains.

Found in deep and shallow marshes, lakes and streams. A perennial herb with long, stout rhizomes that grows up to 48” tall. Found on sloughs, streambanks, ditches and wet clearings throughout the West and Northeast United States and occasionally bogs throughout the entire U.S.

Mature Height: 24-36" Growth Habit: Sod

Smooth Brome

A perennial, cool-season, introduced sod-forming growing 24" to 48” spread by rhizomes. Frequently the leaves are marked by a transverse wrinkle resembling a “W” a short distance below the tip. It is resistant to drought and extremes in temperature. Smooth Brome is the most widely used of the cultivated bromegrasses. It is distributed throughout most of the United States.

(aka. Bluebunch Wheatgrass) A palatable, cool-season native common in the Northern Great Plains and Intermountain United States. Persistent, drought-tolerant and compatible with slower growing natives.

A perennial herb from slender rhizomes that grows up to 10 ft. tall. Found in deep and shallow marshes, lakes, streams, and occasionally bogs throughout the entire United States.

Mature Height: 48+" Growth Habit: Bunch

Sough Sedge

Seeds/Pound (approximate): 10,000,000 Seeding Rate (Pounds/Acre): 1

Mature Height: 24-36" Growth Habit: Sod

Spike Rush

Mature Height: 12-18" Growth Habit: Bunch

Standard Crested Wheatgrass

One of the most significant cultivated grasses in the United States used for conservation and forage. A long-lived, bunch-type grass. It is very winter-hardy, and has an extensive, deep and fibrous root system that gives it excellent drought resistance.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season, native grass growing from 12" to 36” tall. The leaves have a light green and grey tint and are somewhat curled on the ends. It is drought tolerant and commonly used for reclamation and not forage production. Found in the northern Great Plains and Intermountain Region of the Western United States.

A perennial, cool-season, introduced bunch grass that grows 3 to 7 feet tall. It is a tall, coarse, late-maturing grass that is especially tolerant of saline or alkali soils and adapted to either irrigated or sub-irrigated. It prefers soils with a high water table. Used in wildlife plantings where its tall, persistent, bunchy growth provides nesting sites and cover for upland gamebirds. Occurring in the Rocky Mountain region from Northern New Mexico to Canada.

It is a long-lived perennial, cool-season, native sod-forming grass growing from 12" to 36” tall. Its extensive rhizomatous root system combined with a few deep roots makes it more drought tolerant than Western Wheatgrass. This species is common to the northern Great Plains and Intermountain Region of the Western United States.

A relatively short-lived perennial, cool-season, introduced bunch grass that grows in erect stools or culms 20" to 40” tall. It has a shallow, compact, and ﬁbrous root system, which thrives best on rich, moist bottomlands and on ﬁner textured soils, such as clay loams. It does not do well on coarser soils. Timothy is palatable and nutritious and mostly used for hay but also makes good pasture and silage. It has adapted to a cool and humid climate and is distributed throughout the entire United States.

Triticale is a hardy hybrid of wheat and cereal rye producing a high yield of forage. Combination of grain quality, productivity, and disease resistance of wheat with the vigor and hardiness of rye. Both winter and spring types were developed, with emphasis on spring types.

A short-lived perennial, cool-season, native, densely tufted bunch grass, growing 24 to 48”. It grows in deep, moisture-saturated, poorly or drained soils, and well-developed soils. It is somewhat tolerant to salt and alkalinity. Tufted Hairgrass is considered to be a good forage for livestock and wildlife. It resists toxic wastes, and is therefore often used in the reclamation of mining sites. It is also recommended for the reclamation of subalpine, alpine, and mountain meadow habitats. Found in the Rocky Mountain region and west to the coast, and northeastern states.

A native species important in reducing erosion along streambanks and lakeshores and is found in freshwater marshes, potholes and wetland prairies. Western Mannagrass is a storm water management species with major use in the PNW. Waterfowl and other wildlife utilize the plant and seeds.

A long-lived perennial, cool-season native sod-forming grass growing in small clusters from 12" to 36” tall. It is common to moist, sometimes saline to saline-sodic, and medium- to ﬁne-textured soils. It has adapted to stabilization of disturbed soils because of its extensive, strong spreading rhizomes combined with a few deep roots. A good hay source and forage to domestic and wild animals across the Great Plains, Southwest, and Intermountain Region of the Western United States.

Wheat is an annual or biennial grass that is widely cultivated in temperate regions in many varieties for its commercially important grain. There are many diﬀerent varieties of Wheat grown throughout the world, such as Soft/Hard/White/Red. However, there are only two classiﬁcations of wheat, winter and spring. Each particular type of Wheat, Hard Red, Soft Red, Hard White, Soft White and Durum have a diﬀerent use in the ﬂour milling industry, and may require slightly diﬀerent climatic growing conditions.